Fertility kits with syringes and collection jars, and method of use

Abstract

A fertility kit for performing self-insemination, comprising a package with three sets of sterilized disposable syringes and collection jars. Each fertility syringe comprises: an outer rigid tubular barrel and an inner plunger. The barrel comprises a curved distal end with a small circular distal opening, and a sealed proximal end, and an inner hollow tube housing the plunger. The barrel's proximal end also comprises two opposing circular members to fit a user's fingers; and a plunger flat end fitting in-between. The plunger distal end has a has a funnel-like shape that fits into the barrel curved end to push all the semen out while preventing a backflow. The collection jar comprises a sealable lid, and an inner surface comprising smooth seamless edges. Fresh or frozen, unwashed semen is deposited into the jar, pulled into the syringe, and administered cervically during a user's maximum monthly level of luteinizing hormone.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sterile An intracervical insemination (ICI) fertility kit for performing at home self-insemination, comprising:
 a) a disposable, sterilized plastic fertility syringe ( 10 ) comprising,
 i) an outer rigid tubular barrel ( 12 ), comprising a curved distal end ( 14 ) with a barrel distal opening ( 16 ) and a sealed proximal end ( 18 ), and said barrel enclosing an inner hollow tube ( 20 ) with a narrowed distal end at an opening ( 31 ) joined to the barrel distal opening ( 16 ); 
 ii) the barrel sealed proximal end ( 18 ) further comprising a handle combination comprising two opposing substantially hollow circular members ( 26 ) with a small opening ( 54 ) near the outer rigid tubular barrel ( 12 ) and able to fit a user's fingers; 
 iii) a plunger ( 22 ) positioned within the inner hollow tube ( 20 ) and able to slide within said tube ( 20 ) to draw up and expel semen from the barrel distal opening ( 16 ); 
 wherein the plunger further comprises a plunger distal end ( 52 ) encircled by a rubber seal ( 32 ) comprising a plurality of flexible rings ( 41 ) positioned to tightly fit within the tube ( 20 ) to prevent semen backflow proximally; 
 wherein the plunger further comprises a tubular end ( 34 ) distal to the rubber seal ( 32 ), said tubular end positioned to fit tightly within the tube narrowed distal end at the opening ( 31 ) to push all of the semen out of the barrel distal opening ( 16 ); 
 wherein the plunger further comprises a proximal flat handle ( 36 ) rotated to fit between the barrel handle hollow circular members ( 26 ) when the plunger is completely pushed into the barrel; and 
 
 b) a collection jar ( 40 ) comprising a hand-held container ( 42 ) and a sealable screw top or snap on lid ( 44 ), and comprising round shaped smooth seamless edges ( 48 ) on an inner surface ( 48   i ) and outer surface ( 480 ) of the hand-held container, the seamless edges of the inner surface prevent the semen from being trapped within the seamless edges. 
 
     
     
       2. The ICI fertility kit of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger ( 22 ) further comprises a plurality of parallel ribs ( 23 ), divided into three sections ( 25 ) of about equal length ( 56 ), encircling and extending a length of the plunger. 
     
     
       3. The ICI fertility kit of  claim 1 , wherein the snap on lid holds about 30-34 milliliters. 
     
     
       4. The ICI fertility kit of  claim 3 , wherein the semen is unwashed, and fresh or frozen. 
     
     
       5. The ICI fertility kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a substantially flat transparent or opaque plastic wrapper ( 60 ) sealing the fertility syringe to keep the fertility syringe sterile. 
     
     
       6. The ICI fertility kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a container ( 50 ) for shipping the fertility kit, said container comprising printed instructions on a method of using the fertility kit, and a printed website link or a QR code to said instructions. 
     
     
       7. The ICI fertility kit of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of both the inner tube ( 20 ) and the plunger ( 34 ) are funnel-like shaped and the funnel-like shape of the plunger is sized to fit tightly into the inner tube and matches the funnel-like shape of the inner tube to prevent semen backflow proximally and to eject all of the semen from the fertility syringe. 
     
     
       8. A method of using an intracervical insemination (ICI) fertility kit for performing at home self-insemination, comprising the steps of:
 1) providing a fertility kit housing one or more sets of:
 a) a disposable, sterilized plastic fertility syringe ( 10 ) comprising,
 i) an outer rigid tubular barrel ( 12 ), comprising a curved distal end ( 14 ) with a barrel distal opening ( 16 ) and a sealed proximal end ( 18 ), and said barrel enclosing an inner hollow tube ( 20 ) with a narrowed distal end at an opening ( 31 ) joined to the barrel distal opening ( 16 ); 
 ii) the barrel sealed proximal end ( 18 ) further comprising a handle combination comprising two opposing substantially hollow circular members ( 26 ) with a small opening ( 54 ) near the outer rigid tubular barrel ( 12 ) and able to fit a user's fingers; 
 iii) a plunger ( 22 ) positioned within the inner hollow tube ( 20 ) and able to slide within said tube ( 20 ) to draw up and expel semen from the barrel distal opening ( 16 ); 
 wherein the plunger further comprises a distal end ( 52 ) encircled by a rubber seal ( 32 ) comprising a plurality of flexible rings ( 41 ) positioned to tightly fit within the tube ( 20 ) to prevent semen backflow proximally; 
 wherein the plunger further comprises a tubular end ( 34 ) distal to the rubber seal ( 32 ), said tubular end positioned to fit tightly within the tube narrowed distal end at the opening ( 31 ) to push all of the semen out of the barrel distal opening ( 16 ); 
 wherein the plunger further comprises a proximal flat handle ( 36 ) rotated to fit between the barrel handle hollow circular members ( 26 ) when the plunger is completely pushed into the barrel; and 
 
 b) a collection jar ( 40 ) comprising a hand-held container ( 42 ) and a sealable screw top or snap on lid ( 44 ), and comprising round shaped smooth seamless edges ( 48 ) on an inner surface ( 48   i ) and outer surface ( 480 ) of the hand-held container, the seamless edges of the inner surface prevent the semen from being trapped within the seamless edges; 
 
 2) determining a user's calendar date of displaying a maximizing luteinizing hormone level; 
 3) Receiving a fresh deposit of a clean semen sample within the collection jar; 
 4) holding the fertility syringe vertically in the collection jar, and withdrawing all of the semen sample into the fertility syringe by pulling upward on the plunger; 
 5) while lying down, inserting the fertility syringe until it is flush with a user's cervix, then pushing the plunger distally to release all of the semen sample into the cervix; 
 6) after the plunger has been pushed distally, remaining lying down for at least a half hour; and 
 7) repeating steps (1)-(6) two more times; for a total of three injections occurring: a day before, a day of, and a day after a user's maximum luteinizing hormone level. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of using the ICI fertility kit of  claim 8 , wherein the plunger ( 22 ) further comprises parallel ribs ( 23 ), divided into three sections ( 25 ) of about equal length ( 56 ), encircling and extending a length of the plunger. 
     
     
       10. The method of using the ICI fertility kit of  claim 8 , wherein the snap on lid holds about 30-34 milliliters. 
     
     
       11. The method of using the ICI fertility kit of  claim 10 , wherein the semen sample is unwashed, and fresh or frozen. 
     
     
       12. The method of using the ICI fertility kit of  claim 8 , further comprising a substantially flat transparent or opaque plastic wrapper ( 60 ) sealing one or more of the fertility syringes to keep the one or more fertility syringes sterile. 
     
     
       13. The method of using the ICI fertility kit of  claim 8 , further comprising a container ( 50 ) for shipping the one or more sets, said container comprising printed instructions on the method of using the fertility kit, and a printed website link or a QR code to said instructions. 
     
     
       14. The method of using the ICI fertility kit of  claim 8 , wherein the distal end of both the inner tube ( 20 ) and the plunger ( 34 ) are funnel-like shaped and the funnel-like shape of the plunger is sized to fit tightly into the inner tube and matches the funnel-like shape of the inner tube to prevent semen backflow proximally and to eject all of the semen from the fertility syringe.